In the Eastern Seas

by William Henry Giles Kingston

Several days have passed since I last wrote in dear Walter’s journal. Mr Sedgwick seems scarcely yet to have got over the loss of Tanda; indeed he was his right hand man. Still he works away very hard by himself in arranging the stores for our voyage, and the Frau and Emily and I help him as much as we possibly can. We have a good supply of sago-cake. We went out and helped him to gather in the maize, which is now ripe—having enormous ears. We have busied ourselves in separating the grains. Then we have paddy. We assisted in cutting it, but we could not make much progress; and Potto Jumbo devoted a couple of days to that work, so that we have now enough. We find great difficulty, however, in beating off the hull in a large mortar. We had seen Tanda do it, when not a grain was driven out; but when we attempted it, we sent them flying out in all directions. However, by placing a cloth with a hole in it, for the handle to go through, over the mouth, we managed to get on better, and prepared in the course of a few days a good supply. At a little distance from the house grew a grove of a species of banana which my uncle planted. He called it the Musa textilis. It was about fifteen feet high. From the fibrous stem of this plant the manilla hemp is manufactured. It was now cut down, and by being beaten thoroughly the fibres were drawn out, and our uncle and Potto Jumbo set to work to manufacture rope from it for rigging the vessel, as they did not consider there had been a sufficient supply of rope saved from the brig.

We had been anxious to go and see the vessel, and one day we set off with the ship-builders at an early hour. Our surprise was very great to find her perfectly ready for launching. Her masts and spars and rigging lay under a shed on one side, and it seemed as if it would only be necessary to put her in the water, and get the stores on board, to sail away. But sail where? That was the question. Should I have any satisfaction in sailing away without first looking for Walter? Would our uncle consent to do this? The uncertainty took away some of the satisfaction I should otherwise have felt.

The whole of the party now collected, when Mr Thudicumb announced that the launch was that morning to take place. Hopes and tackle had been arranged and secured to the rocks to assist in hauling her off, and I was told that I was to throw a bottle of arrack at her bows, and to name her. Having no bottle, I found that the arrack had been put into a small gourd. It was hung from the bows, against which I was told to swing it. No sooner had I done so, wishing the Hope a prosperous existence, than she began to glide off towards the water. Quicker and quicker she went, and it seemed to me that she would slip away out to sea; but ropes restrained her, and in another instant she floated calmly in the bay. Loud cheers broke from our small company, and Roger Trew, who had remained on board, waved his hat, and danced a hornpipe in his glee at the success of their undertaking.

All things are ready for the voyage. The Hope is to be rigged as a cutter. The seams have been filled in with dammar; and though no paint has been used, she appears to great advantage with the natural colour of the wood. I thought we were all to go in her at once; but it is considered better that she should first make a trial trip in search of Walter. I was very anxious to go; but my uncle says he cannot allow me, and that Grace and I, with the Frau and Oliver, must remain on the island. Her crew, therefore, will consist of Mr Thudicumb as commander, Dick Tarbox, Roger Trew, and Potto Jumbo as crew, with Mr Hooker as passenger. He wishes to go, both on account of his anxiety to find Walter, and also, as they will visit a number of islands and reefs in their search, he expects to find numerous objects of natural history.

We were busily employed for several days in carrying down stores to Hope Harbour; even the water had to be carried a considerable distance. It is contained in large pieces of bamboo, which can be stored securely in the hold, as there are no casks in which to put it. Then they have sago, rice, and Indian corn, and young cocoa-nuts and bananas, mangoes, and several other roots and fruits. Among the most valuable are the bread-fruit, just now ripe, the trees of which my uncle planted when he first came to the island. He had also grown some tea-plants, and among our other occupations I forgot to mention, was preparing the leaves according to the Chinese mode. The beverage does not taste very strong, but it has a nice flavour, and will answer its purpose very well. The cocoa-nut oil which we manufactured is also contained in pieces of bamboo. Our sugar is not very white, and would not be considered highly refined, but it is sweet and nice, and Grace and the Frau consider it a very delicious sweetmeat. The vessel is thus stored with the necessaries of life. I hope she may sail well. She is decked completely over, with three compartments for cabins. When we all sail we are to have the centre, the men are to be forward, and the gentlemen aft, with a small cabin for Mr Thudicumb in the fore part of the vessel. There are large lockers on either side for stores, some of which are to be placed in the hold, but only those which will not suffer from being wet, as it is thought likely that the vessel will leak somewhat, perhaps, in consequence of the want of skill on the part of the workmen. However, each one says he has done his task to the best of his ability, and can do no more. My uncle and Oliver retain two of the best fire-arms, and the rest are to be put on board the vessel, in case they should fall in with pirates, or land on any part of the coast where savages exist. We are to go down to-morrow morning to see them off. Oh, how earnestly will my prayers ascend for their safety, and that they may find dear Walter!

The Hope has sailed. We went down to Hope Harbour early in the morning, having breakfasted by lamp-light, and as soon as all had gone on board the anchor was weighed. It was like a Malay anchor, made of wood, and a huge stone to keep it down. Favoured by the land-breeze, the Hope glided out of the harbour. Oliver said she appeared to sit beautifully on the water, and he thought she would be a fine sea-boat. Amid cheers and tears and prayers—oh, how earnestly I prayed, and I am sure so did Oliver and Grace—we saw her sail away from the land. We hastened homeward, that we might get a last look of her from Flagstaff Rock. The Hope, instead of proceeding out to sea, was now standing along shore. How pretty and light she looked as she glided by. We continued waving an adieu, but I do not think those on board could have seen us; indeed, we could only just distinguish them as they stood on the deck. Away, away she sailed towards the east. She went in that direction because Mr Thudicumb believed, from the way the wind blew when dear Walter was carried away from the land, that he would have been driven to some place in that direction. The wind was light, so that she continued in sight for a long time. We could not tear ourselves away from the spot. How well was she called the Hope; for our hope was strong that she would find him of whom she was in search. Gradually she became smaller and smaller, and less distinct; and now her hull was entirely hid from view, and we could see only the white canvas above the ocean. At length that began to descend in the horizon, and a small white speck alone was visible, gradually decreasing in size till it disappeared altogether. I could not help regretting that we were not all on board, but those who knew better than I do decided it otherwise, and so I do my best to silence my regrets. It is a good thing, too, that we have Oliver with us. He exerts himself not so much to keep up our spirits, as to show us how we ought to think and feel; and he proves clearly that as God knows best what should be done, we should bow humbly to his will, whatever may occur. What a blessing it is to know that God watches over us, and arranges our affairs for us better than we can for ourselves, if we show a readiness to submit to his will. It would, however, be a hard trial should the vessel return without having found Walter. My uncle is kinder than ever. He seems to understand how anxious I am, and continues to try and find employment for us. We have a number of curious birds to feed, and some poultry which escaped the Malays having been found, we take care of them, as also several animals which require being attended to.

Among the most precious and beautiful were several birds of paradise, prized above all others in the collection. The first I will mention was called the superb bird of paradise. The plumage was black, though, as the sun shone on it, the neck showed a rich bronze tinge, while the head appeared to be covered with scales of a brilliant metallic-green and blue. Over its breast was a shield of somewhat stiff feathers, with a rich satiny gloss and of a bluish-green tint, while from the back of the neck rose a shield—in form like that on the breast, but considerably larger and longer—of a rich black, tinged with purple and bronze. It would be difficult to do justice by a verbal description to the beauty of that little gem of a bird, when, animated, it expanded its shields and stood quivering on its perch. I often thought how much more beautiful must be the appearance of numbers collected together in their native woods in the interior of New Guinea, from whence this one was brought. The feet of our little pet were yellow, and it had a black bill. We fed it on fruits, especially small ripe figs, and also on insects, such as grasshoppers, locusts, and cockroaches, with occasionally caterpillars.

Another of our pets was called the six-shafted or golden bird of paradise. It was not less curious than the former. The plumage, though black in the shade, glows in the sun with bronze and purple, and on the throat and breast are broad feathers of a rich golden hue, exhibiting in a bright light green and blue tints. The back of the head is adorned with the most brilliant feathers, shining as if composed of emeralds and topazes; in front is a white satin-like spot, and from the sides spring six slender feathers, thin as wires, with small oval webs at the extremities. As if the beautiful creature was not sufficiently adorned, on each side of the breast rise masses of soft feathers, which greatly increase its apparent bulk when fully elevated, and almost hide its wings.

Walter in his journal has already described several other birds of paradise. Our uncle calculates that there are eighteen known species, all remarkable for their beauty, and the curious arrangements and colour of their plumage.

Poor Tanda used to look after them, and now Oliver and Grace and I have undertaken the task as far as we are able.